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“In the race to replace Jessie Jackson, watch out for Debbie Halvorson. When she was in Congress before, Halvorson got an A from the NRA,” says the ad. “The NRA: against comprehensive background checks, against banning deadly assault weapons, against banning high capacity ammunition clips.”

“Halvorson even co-sponsored a bill that would allow some criminals to carry loaded, hidden guns into Chicago,” says the ad. “Debbie Halvorson: When it comes to preventing gun violence, she gets an F.”

Halvorson’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bloomberg’s group played a prominent role in several 2012 races, attacking gun control opponents in each. The deep-pocketed Independence USA PAC spent more than $3 million in its successful campaign to unseat California Rep. Joe Baca, a pro-gun Democrat. It did not say how much it is spending in the Illinois race.

The Illinois special election race has been focused on gun control, with Halvorson’s opponents attacking her over her record. Halvorson, who is the only formidable white candidate in the race, has emerged as the front-runner in the contest, despite the Chicagoland district’s majority black population. She is benefitting from running against a large and fractured field of mostly black contenders who are threatening to split the African-American vote.

Halvorson’s opponents in the Democratic primary include state Sen. Toi Hutchinson and Cook County Chief Administrative Officer Robin Kelly.